The invention relates to a reactor for treating fluids, in particular for water treatment.
The treatment of waste water may be effected mechanically, e.g., by way of filters, biologically, chemically, or physically as well as with a combination of these mentioned methods. With biological fluid treatment, it is counted as belonging to the state of the art to apply so-called reactors in which the fluid to be treated is led to a large, biologically active surface. Such a reactor is known, for example, from International Publication No. WO 02/094721 A1. The reactor described there comprises two plate stacks which mesh with one another, one of which is rotatingly driven, in order to continuously remove the biologically active coating growing on the plates of the individual stacks, with the fluid flowing through. With this known reactor, a comparatively high pump power is required, in order to not only convey the fluid to be treated through the reactor, but also to ensure an adequate discharge of the constantly occurring biologically active coating. The reactor known from European Patent Application Publication No. EP 1 616 621 A1 is more favorable inasmuch as this is concerned, in which the plates are completely and regularly cleaned by way of stripper elements. However, here, the fluid circulation within the reactor is inadequate if one does not deliver it through the reactor with a sufficiently high pump power.
With regard to the mechanical fluid treatment by way of filters, filter devices which are formed of stacks of hollow filter plates, which as the case may be, are also driven in rotation in an essentially cylindrical filter housing, are counted as belonging to the state of the art. The fluid to be filtered is introduced into the housing, goes through the filters formed in the region of the surface of the filter plates, into the inside of the plates and from there, into a central channel via which the filtered fluid is withdrawn. Such filter plates are known for example from German Patent Application Publication DE 196 24 176 A1 or European Patent No. EP 0 723 799, and corresponding filter devices are known from German Patent Application Publication No. DE 196 24 176 A1 as well as from U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,512. It is, moreover, known from German Patent Application Publication DE 196 24 176 A1 to profile the filter plates on their surfaces in a manner such that with a rotation of the filter plate stack, a certain radial flow effect is produced, which is to ensure a fluid exchange on the filter surface, in particular for the removal of residues on the filter surface.